Screw-operated vise having a rackengaging nut-actuated rocking pawl for quick adjustment



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2 Sheets-Sheet 1 B. R. ZITNER ROCKING-PAWL. FOR. QUICK ADJUSTMENT March15, 1949. I

SCREW-OPERATED VISE HAVING AIRACK-ENGAQING NUT-ACTUATED Filed April 18,1946 March 15, 1949.

B. R. ZITNER SCREW-OPERATED VISE HAVING A RACK-ENGAGING NUT-ACTUATEDROCKING-PAWL EOR QUICK ADJUSTMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 1a, 1946'Wae BY INVENTOR.

W701e+777ma22 ATTOENEVS.

Patented Mar. 15, 1949 SCREW-OPERATED VISE 'HAVING-A RACK- ENGAGINGNUT-ACTUATED ROCKING PAWL FOR QUICK ADJUSTMENT Berthold R. Zitner,Burlington, Iowa Application April 18, 1946, .Serial No. 663,140

'7 Claims.

1 "This invention relates to improvements in quickly adjustable vices.

The conventional vise is adjusted by means of a .screw'which is turnedto position the movable jaw of the vise, engaged thereby, relative tothe stationaryvjaw oflthe vise, to effect the clamping or releasing ofthe work in the vise. Continuous movement of the adjustable jaw throughthe turning of the operating screw is both slow and tedious.

It is, therefore, a primary object of the present inventionto provide animproved vise mechanism wherein the movable jaw of the vise may. bequickly slid into and out of rough positions of adjustment, togetherwith a screw operated mechanism for'effecting final clamping adjustmentsof the vise orrelease of the vise jaws relativejto the work, saidmechanism rendering operation of the vise extremely easy andexpeditious.

Afurther object of the invention is to provide a quickly adjustable visewhich includes aisturdy pawlmember engageable and disengageable with aratchet plate and so associated with its operatingmechanism thatarelatively limited movementiis required to rock the pawl relative toits ratchetplate.

Aiurther object of the invention is to provide a vise of thecharacterdescribed having simple and efiective and easily operated mechanism,which is strong and durable, which is inexpensive to manu'factureandwhich is well adapted for the purposes described.

With .theiabove and other objects in view, the invention'consists of theimproved vise, and its parts. and. combinations as set forth in theclaims, and all equivalents thereof.

"In the accompanying drawings in which the sam'ereference charactersindicate the same parts in all of .the views.

.Fig. 1' is a view of the improved vise indicated on line I--.l of Fig.2 showing the mechanism arranged .for the screw feed control of themovable jawof the vise;

vFlgizis a view partly in transverse vertical sec tiontaken online 2--2of Fig. 1;

vFig. 3. is a view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. l; 'Fig. J4.is a transversevertical sectional view taken. on line 4-4 of Fig. 1 and on a largerscale;

and

'T-Eig. 5 is fragmentary detail sectional view showing the vise pawldisengaged from its ratchet,

platewhereby quick manual movement of the movable 'jaw of'the vise ispermitted.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it will appear that thestationary unit of the vise is indicated generally by the numeral Ill,and themovable jaw section is indicated generally by thenumeral II. Theformer includes a box section I2 having a rectangularly shaped openingtherethrough. Below the box section there is a flat. flanged baseportion it formed with apertures it to permit the securement'of the viseto a bench,

table, orother support. The forward upper end of the unit It is curvedand shaped to form a jaw l5. Suitably anchored on a top horizontalsurface of the base portion I3 is an elongated ratchet tooth plate i8whose teeth project upwardly relative to the opening I! within the boxsection I2. Said ratchet teeth are angled rearwardly. The plane of .thetop surface of the teeth It is slightly below the bottom of the openingI! whereby, under certain conditions, a member extended into saidopening, and to be described hereinafter, is free to slidelongitudinally.

The movable section ii of the vise includes an elongated, rearwardlyprojecting, rectangularly shaped sleeve IS, a major portion of which ishollow, and which extends into and through the openings I? of the boxsection I2, closely fitting the'same. A majorpo-rtion of the bottom ofthe sleeve is, over the ratchet plate I6, is open. The forward end ofthe section I I has a bore I9 therethrough communicating with the hollowinterior of the sleeve. Above said end portion of the unit I I there isan integral curved jaw forming portion 29 directed and arranged so as tobe complementary to the jaw [5.

An elongated revoluble rod is indicated gen erally by the numeral 2|.Said rod extends longitudinally through the hollow sleeve I8 and at itsforward end, exteriorly of the movable section I.I,.it is enlarged, asat 2|, forming a shoulder in abutment with the outervfront face of thesection I I. Within the sleeve i8 and. adjacent the inner end of thebore I9 there is affixed to the rod 2| a collar 22 which, in cooperationwith the rod enlargement 2!, serves to hold the rod against longitudinaldisplacement. A transverse bore 3 through the rod enlargement 2|,receives an operating handle 24. The extreme outer end of the rod 2| isjournalled within an aperture 25 therefor in the closed rear end of thesleeve I8. An intermediate portion of the rod 2| is formed with screwthreads, as at 26, for a purpose hereinafter to appear.

A pawl, operatively disposed within the hollow sleeve I8, is indicatedgenerally by the numeral 21. Said pawl is relatively large and massiveand is saddle shaped, as best shown in Fig. 4, to permit the freelongitudinal extension through its upper portion of the screw threadedportion 26 of the rod 2 I. Said pawl is furthermore formed with an upperU -shaped recess 28. The pawl 21 is pivotally and longitudinallyshiftably movably mounted on a transverse pin 29 extended through anelongated slot 38 transversely through the base portion of the pawl 27and having its ends anchored in the side walls of the sleeve 8. Thearrangement of the slot 30 and the pin 29 is such as to permitconsiderable back and forth play or movement during operation of thepawl 21. The lower forward end of the solid base portion of the pawl isformed as a transverse pawl tooth 3| cooperative with selected teeth inthe ratchet plate i8.

Within the cavity of the sleeve 18, adjacent the top of the sleeve, arelongitudinally extending transversely spaced apart machined surfaces 32to slidably engage opposite upper side portions of a travelling nut 33.This nut has an internally threaded bore through which the screwthreaded portion 26 of the rod 2| extends. The travelling nut 33 is alsoof a size to be accommodated Within the U-shaped recess 28 in the upperportion of the pawl 21. It will be observed from Figs. 1 and 5 that thegreatest longitudinal dimension of the travelling nut 33 is somewhatless than the length of the pawl recess 23 and the play therebypermitted is ordinarily taken up by a dished spring disc (is yieldinglyinterposed between the rear end of the nut 33 and the inner surfaces ofthe legs of the pawl 2'! thereadjacent. Normally, the expansive force ofthe spring 34 is such as to maintain the forward end of the nut 33 inengagement with portions of the pawl thereadjacent. It is also to beobserved that the front of the travelling nut 33 is curved on a slightradius, as indicated at 33, whereby the pawl may pivot or tilt relativeto the nut 33 without binding.

In the operation of the improved quickly adjustable vise, when the partsare in the position shown in Fig. 5, or any other osition wherein thepawl is tilted upwardly to free its tooth 3| from the ratchet plate Hi,the movable vise section 5 is free for quick sliding movement relativeto the stationary unit IQ of the vise. Consequently, by manuallygrasping the section and by pushing it toward the first vise section H]a desired distance and into proximity to the work to be clamped betweenthe jaws I5 and 2|], a

rough adjustment may be quickly accomplished solely by the slidingmovement of the sleeve l8 within the opening ll of the box section l2 ofthe stationary unit of the vise. Upon quickly attaining the slidingrough adjustment of the movable section of the vise, the work may beclamped between the vise jaws l5 and 20 through a few quick turnsimparted to the rod 2| through the operating handle Si l. The initialturn of the rod 2| will, because of engagement of the rod with thetravelling nut 33, cause said nut to move forwardly relative to theU-shaped opening 28 in the pawl 22 to contact the pawl and cause it topivot or tilt downwardly to. a ratchet tooth engaging position, as inFig. 1. Through engagement of the pawl with the ratchet plate I6 asdescribed, further turning of the rod 2| in the same direction willcause, because of the anchorage of the rod 2| in the sleeve I8, amovement of the sleeve in a direction to cause the movable section to bedrawn toward the stationary unit H] to thereby tightly clamp the workbetween the vise jaws l5 and 20. During such clamping movements whereinthe screw threaded portion 26 of the rod 2| is transversing the anchorednut 33, the necessary relative movement between the longitudinallymoving sleeve 8 and the anchored pawl 21 is permitted by the pawl slot30. Upon the attainment of the clamping of the work, the rear end of thepawl slot 30 may be in engagement with the pawl mounting pin 29.

When it is desired to release or unclamp the work, it is merelynecessary to turn the rod 2| one turn in the opposite direction throughmanipulation of the handle 24. Such movement of the rod 2| will resultin a condition depicted in Fig. 5 wherein the travelling nut 33 exerts apressure against the spring 34 and against the adjacent portion of thepawl to tilt the forward end of the pawl upwardly and to free its tooth3| from the ratchet bar l6. Thereupon, through manual engagement of themovable section II of the vise and quickly sliding the sleeve I8 withinthe box section I2, the movable section of the vise may be slid rapidlyto any location or distance relative to the stationary vise unit |0,within the range of the vise and to suit the convenience of the operatorand work requirements.

The improved quickly adjustable vise is simple' and expeditious inoperation and the changeover from manual sliding movement of the movablesection of the vise to screw control thereof is accomplished by a singlequick turn imparted to the control rod 2| in the proper direction. Thevise is furthermore strong, durable and effective, minimizes the timerequired in making vise adjustments and in clamping and releasing workrelative thereto, embodies simple, easily assembled mechanism, and iswell adapted for the purposes described.

What is claimed as the invention is: l. A vise, comprising a stationaryjaw unit formed with an open box-like section having a toothed portion,a movable jaw unit formed with" a sleeve slidably engaging said box-likesection, a screw turnably anchored within the sleeve, a travellin nutwithin the sleeve and arranged for relative sliding movement, thetravelling nut being in threaded engagement with the screw,'a

pawl pivotally associated with the sleeve and engageable anddisengageable with the toothed portion of the box-like section, saidpawl having a recess therein into which said nut extends for limitedlongitudinal movement to rock the pawl, and yielding means surrounding aportion of the screw and interposed between adjacent portions of the nutand pawl.

2. A vise, comprising a stationary jaw unit formed with an open box-likesection having a toothed portion, a movable jaw unit formed with asleeve slidably engaging said box-like section, a screw turnablyassociated with the movable jaw unit and extending through said sleeve,a pawl formed with a recess, means operatively mounting the pawl withinsaid sleeve for engagement and disengagement with said toothed portionineluding a longitudinal slot in said pawl and a pivot pin fixedlycarried by said sleeve and extending through said slot, and a travellingnut in threaded engagement with said screw and slid ably engaging saidsleeve and extending into said pawl recess, the nut, upon certainturning movements of the screw, being shiftable slightly within saidpawl recess to engage the pawl on either side of its axis of pivotalmountin to rock the pawl like section.

3. A vise, comprising a stationary jaw unit formed with an open box-likesection having'a toothed portion, a movable jaw unit formed with asleeve slidably engaging said box-like section, a screw turnablyassociated with the movable jaw unit and extending through said sleeve,a pawl formed with a recess, means operatively mounting the pawl withinsaid sleeve for engagement and disengagement with said toothed portionincluding a longitudinal slot in said pawl and a pivot pin fixedlycarried by saidsleeve and extendin through said slot, a travelling nutin threaded engagement with said screw and slidably engaging said sleeveand extending into said pawl recess, the nut, upon certain turningmovements of the screw, being shiftable slightly within said pawl recessto engage the pawl on either side of its axis of pivotal mounting torock the pawl in either direction for engagement and disengagementwiththe toothed portion of the boxlike section, and yielding meansinterposed between the rear end of the nut and the adjacent portion ofthe pawl to urge the nut into contact with a portion of the pawlforwardly of its axis of pivotal mounting to normally effect adownwardly rocked position of the forward end of the pawl.

4. A vise, comprising a stationary jaw unit formed with an open box-likesection having a toothed portion, a movable jaw unit formed with asleeve slidably engaging said box-like section, a screw turnablyassociated with the movable jaw unit and extending through said sleeve,a pawl formed with a socket, means operatively mounting the pawl withinsaid sleeve for rocking engagement and disengagement with said toothedportion including a longitudinal slot in said pawl and a transversepivot pin fixedly carried by said sleeve and extending through saidslot, and a travelling nut in threaded engagement with said screw andslidably engaging said sleeve and extending into said pawl socket, saidsocket being of slightly greater length than said nut to permit limitedlost motion of the nut relative to the pawl.

5. A vise, comprising a stationary jaw unit formed with an open box-likesection having a toothed portion, a movable jaw unit formed with asleeve slidably engaging said box-like section, a screw turnablyassociated with the movable jaw unit and extending through said sleeve,a pawl formed with a socket, means operatively mounting the pawl withinsaid sleeve for rocking engagement and disengagement with said toothedportion including a longitudinal slot in said pawl and a transversepivot pin fixedly carried by said sleeve and extending through saidslot, a travelling nut in threaded engagement with said screw andslidably engaging said sleeve and extending into said pawl socket, saidsocket being of slightly greater length than said nut to permit limitedlost motion of the nut relative to the pawl, and yielding means in saidsocket between portions of the nut and pawl to take up said lost motion.

6. A vise, comprising a stationary jaw unit formed with an open box-likesection having a toothed portion, a movable jaw unit formed with asleeve slidably engaging said box-like section, a screwturnablyassociated with the movable jaw unit and extending through said sleeve,a pawl formed with a socket, means operatively mounting the pawl withinsaid sleeve for rocking engagement and disengagement with said toothedportion including a longitudinal slot in said pawl and a transversepivot pin fixedly carried by said sleeve and extending through saidslot, and a travelling nut in threaded engagement with said screw andslidably engaging said sleeve and extending into said pawl socket, saidsocket being of slightly greater length than said not to furnish limitedlost motion of the nut relative to the pawl, the forward end of the nutbeing curved on a radius to permit the pawl to rock on its pivot pinwithout binding against the nut.

7. A vise, comprising a stationary jaw unit formed with an open box-likesection having a toothed portion, a movable jaw unit formed with asleeve slidably engaging said box-like section, a screw turnablyassociated with the movable jaw unit and extending through said sleeve,a pawl formed with a socket, means operatively mounting the pawl withinsaid sleeve for rocking engagement and disengagement with said toothedportion including a longitudinal slot in said pawl and a transversepivot pin fixedly carried by said sleeve and extending through saidslot, a travelling nut in threaded engagement with said screw andslidably engaging said sleeve and extending into said pawl socket, saidsocket being of slightly greater length than said nut to furnish limitedlost motion of the nut relative to the pawl, one end of the nut beingcurved on a radius to permit the pawl to rock on its pivot pin withoutbinding against the nut, and yielding means in said socket betweenportions of the nut and pawl to take up said lost motion, shifting ofthe nut within the pawl recess occasioned by certain turning movementsof the screw being efiective to engage the pawl on either side of itsaxis of pivotal mounting to rock the pawl in either direction forengagement and disengagement with the toothed portion of the box-likesection.

BERTHOLD R. ZITNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 102,919 Crawley et al. May 10,1870 380,734 Tobey Apr. 10, 1888 745,001 Coflleld Nov. 24, 1903 805,013Hanlman Nov. 21, 1905 1,323,647 Peters Dec. 2, 1919 2,094,198 WarmanSept. 28, 1937 2,359,951 Warman Oct. 10, 1944

